Does anybody know, if they have shoes like in stock, or are they all made as orders come in?

I would "assume" they are primarily are all made once they receive an order.

I would imagine they do this since they provide their customers with such flexibility in regards to what they can order. Frankly at that price I think I should have some flexibility. Besides I have no problem waiting 2 months for a pair of St. Crispins.

Leather Soul told me when I ordered my first pair earlier in the year that they make anywhere from 1200 to 1400 pairs a year. Who knows if this is an up-to-date estimate or not.

At least in their promo video last year there's only couple of makers instead of eight(!!) shoemakers.

JLP bespoke pumps out similar numbers of shoes per year, making each pair twice, and only has three makers in house and rest outworkers.

As to the MTO vs RTW, I think the chances are pretty slim for SC or its venders to stock enough of different sizes and models and colors to fulfill instant gratification. Probably makes more sense for them to do JIT or negative cash cycle and manufacture what's been ordered and use the spare capacity to pump out popular model/sizing.

p.s., from my few hours at LS, I don't think SC trees are that well fitted to their lasts, nowhere close to bespoke shoes and trees I've seen. But then I have not seen any MTO so I could be wrong.

Apparently the MTO trees are fitted to the shoe after the shoe is completed. So it isn't a "stock" lasted tree, but a "bespoke" tree. My Corthay's had the worst "lasted" trees ever. Don't fit for shit and the size is right.

Apparently the MTO trees are fitted to the shoe after the shoe is completed. So it isn't a "stock" lasted tree, but a "bespoke" tree. My Corthay's had the worst "lasted" trees ever. Don't fit for shit and the size is right.

bingo. you're exactly right there isn't very much 'off the shelf' about St Crispins, that's at least part of the point